1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a snowmobile with an airbag system.
2. Related Art
Since the snowmobile is used in a cold snow zone or area, it is required for a rider to be heavily dressed or protects himself/herself with winter cloth and covers his/her head with a helmet or a cap. Thus, the rider of the snowmobile is protected from impact of collision to some extent in comparison with a driver on a four-wheel vehicle.
However, in accordance with recent improvement of performance of the snowmobile, it is desired to provide an airbag system as in the four-wheel vehicles in order to secure safety of the rider in case of collision of the snowmobile.
The following points are considered when providing an airbag system on a snowmobile.
First, the snowmobile travels not only on well maintained public roads, but also on sites which are not used as a road in a normal condition such as forest or rough terrain, and hence, the rider is required to make self-supporting efforts (such as weight shift) more than that in the case of the four-wheel vehicle. Accordingly, the airbag is required so that the vehicle can maintain its original shape as much as possible after the airbag has been expanded and blown up, and restoration to travel by its own ability can be achieved after the expanded airbag has been quickly handled, in comparison with the case of the four-wheel vehicle.
Next, the snowmobile is provided with no seatbelt because the weight shift is required for the rider for maneuvering the snowmobile, and it is itself difficult to fasten the seat belt to the snowmobile. It is therefore difficult and unreasonable to mount an airbag system on the premise of simultaneous usage of the seatbelt as in the four-wheel vehicle.
Third, the snowmobile travels on the snow and the airbag system is activated by the use of gunpowder, high-pressure gas and electricity. It is therefore necessary to consider that the snow, as a matter of course, snow-melted water or refreezing of the water does not give an adverse effect or damage on the airbag system.
Fourth, the snowmobile is generally left untouched for a long time in outdoors during seasons other than winter snow season, so that there arises a problem in functional durability or the maintenance of the airbag system unlike the case of the four-wheel vehicle in which the airbag is installed in the vehicle without being left untouched for a long time.